Key Biscayne, Miami Beach

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Posted by Alex Harper on 15:19:30 11/27/05

Today Paul Bithorn, Juan Villamil, and I birded sections of Key Biscayne (including Bill Baggs/Cape Florida State Park), and 45 street off Miami Beach.

We searched desperatly for the Black Scoter seen of Hobe Beach, but had to deal with two Red-breasted Mergansers. A quick run around the sewage treatmant facility produced Least Sandpiper, Great-crested Flycatcher, White-eyed Vireo, and Pine Warbler among others.

Looking off shore from Bill Baggs/Cape Florida, we were able to see a steady movement of Northern Gannets, including some stunning adults as close as 200 yards from shore. A Common Loon eventually popped into view and was very cooperative in scope and binocular view. A Loggerhead Sea Turtle kept us company just offshore, and a ray species (I think Spotted Eagle Ray) jumped out of the water on several occasions.

Our next stop was the Port of Miami, where we thought the deep water would appeal to migrating grebes, loons, and ducks. All we found were a couple Black Skimmers.

Off 45 street beach, we stopped to scan the beach for an hour. A beautiful day to be birding, but even more to be at the beach!
We sat under a shelter and scanned the sea for ducks or jaegers. Northern Gannets continued to head south in large numbers. It was impossible to look out without seeing small groups of gannets. At one point a duck species flew into view when I was borrowing Paul's scope. I the best I could do was eliminate anything with white on the wings, which eliminates Lesser Scaup, White-winged Scoter, and Red-breasted Merganser, which are some of our more common sea ducks. It must have been either Black or Surf Scoter. Well, at least I saw for myself that the ducks are on the move in south Florida. A group of Black Skimmers were seen along the beach as well.

We made a few more stops, but they were unproductive. It was still nice to see the Common Loon, large numbers of Northern Gannets, and the Black Skimmers.

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Comments:	: Today Paul Bithorn, Juan Villamil, and I birded sections of Key Biscayne (including Bill Baggs/Cape Florida State Park), and 45 street off Miami Beach. : : We searched desperatly for the Black Scoter seen of Hobe Beach, but had to deal with two Red-breasted Mergansers. A quick run around the sewage treatmant facility produced Least Sandpiper, Great-crested Flycatcher, White-eyed Vireo, and Pine Warbler among others. : : Looking off shore from Bill Baggs/Cape Florida, we were able to see a steady movement of Northern Gannets, including some stunning adults as close as 200 yards from shore. A Common Loon eventually popped into view and was very cooperative in scope and binocular view. A Loggerhead Sea Turtle kept us company just offshore, and a ray species (I think Spotted Eagle Ray) jumped out of the water on several occasions. : : Our next stop was the Port of Miami, where we thought the deep water would appeal to migrating grebes, loons, and ducks. All we found were a couple Black Skimmers. : : Off 45 street beach, we stopped to scan the beach for an hour. A beautiful day to be birding, but even more to be at the beach! : We sat under a shelter and scanned the sea for ducks or jaegers. Northern Gannets continued to head south in large numbers. It was impossible to look out without seeing small groups of gannets. At one point a duck species flew into view when I was borrowing Paul's scope. I the best I could do was eliminate anything with white on the wings, which eliminates Lesser Scaup, White-winged Scoter, and Red-breasted Merganser, which are some of our more common sea ducks. It must have been either Black or Surf Scoter. Well, at least I saw for myself that the ducks are on the move in south Florida. A group of Black Skimmers were seen along the beach as well. : : We made a few more stops, but they were unproductive. It was still nice to see the Common Loon, large numbers of Northern Gannets, and the Black Skimmers. : : :
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